The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-03-09
HOW TO GO MARKETING.
A Few Helpful Suggestions for Frugal,
But Inexpe rienced, Housewives.

Few Helpful suggestions IOr tFuSais
But Inexpe rienced, Housewives.
When going a-marketing, if it be
corned beef of which you are in quest,
seize piece of the dealers stock-in-
trade, carry it to the olfactories, smell
of it vigorously, toss the nose in the
air and the beef into its tray, and then
seize another piece, carry it to the
nose, and throw it back again; and Sc
on, until you have gone through the
whole invoice.
If the dealer, on going to weigh your
purchase always supposing that you
do make a purehase), places n piece
of paper in the scale, inform him that
you do not care to pay for paper at
meat prices. Cleanliness may be next
to godliness, generally speaking, but
it can hardly be considered in such
propinquity when the expenses of keep
ing his scale clean comes out of your
pocket.
If it be slice or so of ham that you
desire remember this safe rule: Don't
hurry" If there be several persons be-
side yourself, all in search of ham, SO
much the better. Let them be served
from the butt-end. When the butcher
gets down to where the slices are nice
and broad, then is the time for you to
step forward and ask why you are
made to wait until later corners are
served.
If you are buying butter, beat the
dealer down as low as you can. If he
refuses to give you special rates, wait
until his stall is full of customers, and
then, looking at the bit Of butter on the
end of the knife which you hold in your
hand, exclaim: "Mercy! Haven't you
any thing better than that9" The next
time you call he will remember how
you emptied his stall, and let you have
butter at your own price.
In looking for cheese no directions
are needed, perhaps. You are probably
aware that dealers do not expect to sell
cheese. They merely keep it on the
counters for the public to nibble. Ger
tainly no one needs buy what he can
get for nothing. Is not the cheese
there? Is not the knife handy? Help
yourself; cut, and come again.
When you have bought peck of APP
PIES it is natural that you should be
somewhat curious as to their flavor.
Take nice large one from the barrel.
If it be good, eat it. DO not eat one OF
those You have purchased. Thst would
be robbing yourself, and therefore a
mistake A mistake, you will remem.
Der, is worse than crime.
II you are buying lamb, ask the
butcher if he is quite sure it isn't NUT
ton, and inquire innocently if he thinks
it will be as tough as the last you
bought. Your unsophisticated ques-
tons will amuse the butcher, especially
if there be others near enough to hear
you.
When buying berries, do not fail to
ask the shopman if the berries are just
as good all the way down. He will say
yes; perhaps he may go farther and in
form you that it is his invariable
practice to put the best berries at the
bottom. In either case you will cause
him to lie; and if what the Bible says
about the future condition Of the liar is
true, you will have the satisfaction Of
knowing that you will get your reward
in the end.
The best squashes have hard shells.
To test squash, throw it across the
shop with all your might. If it sep
arate into thousand pieces, you viii
know that it is a poor squash, and Of
course you don't want it; if it goes
through mirror or one of the shop
windows without injury to itself, you
can safely purchase it.
Do not let the butcher take the trim.
mings from your meat. Make him
put them up in your parcel. Tell him
you have q dog. He will probably
throw in somebody else's trimmings.
Butchers are always kind to customers
who keep dogs. The trimmings will
do for soup; possibly they can be work.
ed in for the servants table. If You
keep boarders, you need not be told Of
divers ways in which they may be set
before your guests.
Never go to the grocer's with a full
stomach. Reserve your appetite for
the nuts, raisins, figs, candies, etc.,
that are within reach. By the time
you have completed your purchases
you will find that you have dined quite
heartily without costing you cent
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